How to Start Your Own eCommerce Web Store Website: PART 2: Steps 36 - 61

Posted by Big Brand Wholesale.com on 21st Mar 2020

We covered the first 35 steps in the first part of this series, so today we will dive into the next batch of steps. Let’s get started!

36. Make sure you submitted a Sitemap to search engines when you added your site to Google, Bing, etc. If your sitemap has not been submitted the search engine "spiders" do not know to "crawl" your site. Yes, for the first time in your life you WANT spiders crawling all over! In basic terms; think of it like this, you are stranded on an island. If you don't shoot off flares the rescue team is never going to find you in the sea. The sea is the internet and the island is your site. The search team is google.

37. Continue listing and try to fill out your Categories and Sub Categories. If you only have 1 item in a category, consider condensing that category or just “hiding” it for now. Ideally you want to have at least 1 page of listings per category or sub category, This isn’t always possible, especially when its a “rare” type item.

38. Start a mailing list. We use MailChimp but there are lots of options.

39. Create a Welcome Email

40. Create an Abandoned Cart Email

41. Create the 2nd Abandoned Cart Email

42. Create the final Abandoned Cart Email

43. Create the Customer Win-Back Email that is sent after 180 days of last purchase

44. Create the Customer Win-Back that is sent after 260 days

45. Create the Final Customer Win-Back that is sent at the 1 year mark

46. Link your mailing list to your site

47. Test all emails. Specifically make sure they look correct when they come to a cell phone and check all links to make sure they work

48. At this point you should have a facebook, twitter, pinterest, snapchat and instagram. If you are missing any of these, make them now.

49. Set up a Google Analytics account (it is free)

50. Verify your site for Google Analytics and make sure it is properly tracking

51.Set up a Facebook Pixel and insert into your sites code

52. Start posting your listings and advertising on social media.

53. You can use sites like ifttt to repost your posts to other websites. This saves you time and energy

54. Order more inventory that does not have duplicates so you can load up categories. Yes, you will spend more time now listing one-of’s, but in the long run it will make your site a lot more full.

55. Once your site is full enough to officially start advertising, begin promoting your facebook and other sites to friends, family and followers

56. If you have any extra money, run a couple social media ads to gauge interest. You are primarily wanting to see what people are doing while they are on your site and how long they stay. You will be getting this information through Google Analytics (the account you made in step #13). If you discover that people are leaving super quick then something needs to be fixed. There are many, many reasons why people leave fast but usually it is because the site is too confusing for them. If you see that the majority of your shoppers are leaving right away, you must figure out why.

57. Keep listing, listing, listing. If you list it, they will come!!

58. Remember, it takes around 6 WEEKS for Google and search engines to "index" your site. This means you will not be discovered in search engines for around two months. In the meantime, use this time to bulk up your listings.

59. Make sure you are filling out your listings in full. This helps search engines categorize your listings. Hopefully you made your site using BigCommerce, Volusion or Shopify because these three hosts are designed for search engines. If you did not follow my advice I strongly suggest switching from your current provider to one of the "Big 3" now. It is a terrible pain in the butt to make the switch when you are busy! DO IT NOW. Starting over with 400 listings is soooooo much easier than starting over with 4,000 listings!

60. Your only job at this point should be listing, listing, listing and posting on social media. You have everything set up, just go hard listing. Force yourself to list at least 20 items a day without exception. If you are running out of inventory, but whatever is cheap that can fill out your site. List, list, list, list!

61. Check back in with Google Analytics on a daily basis. Analytics also has a cell phone app that is pretty spiffy. Start paying close attention to where your traffic is coming from. If Facebook is driving 90% of your traffic, then it would make the most sense to put extra effort into Facebook.

Check out our other Amazon & eCommerce detailed guides: